Kingdom of Ash

them—their watches, who slept deepest, who
might report seeing him walk away from their
small fire and who would keep their mouths
shut. Weeks and weeks, since he’d settled on
this idea. This plan.
They’d camped on the small outcropping
where they’d found long-cold traces of the
Crochans, taking shelter under the
overhanging rock, the wyverns a wall of
leathery warmth around them.
He had minutes to do this. He’d been
practicing for weeks now—making no bones
of rising in the middle of the night, no more
than a drowsy man displeased to have to brave
the frigid elements to see to his needs. Letting
the witches grow accustomed to his nightly
movements.
Letting Manon become accustomed to it,
too.
Though nothing had been declared between